Golf carts have many uses other than providing transportation about a golf course. They are used at sporting venues, fairs and other events, There is a rental industry which has evolved to provide the golf carts for such events. In order to provide the golf carts to the events, the rental industry must transport the golf carts to the event. The most appropriate way to transport a large number of golf carts is to stack them on multi-level carrier or trailer. This present a problem as most golf carts include a top. The top provides shade from the sun and shelter from rain for the golf cart user. The top also prevents stacking of the golf carts on a multi-level carrier, as each level of the carrier is not tall enough to accommodate the golf cart with a top installed. So in order to transport the golf carts, the rental industry removes the tops from each golf cart before loading the golf cars on the carrier. The tops are then re-installed when the golf carts are unloaded from the carrier. Removal and re-installation of the tops requires man-hours and a separate vehicle to haul the tops, which all adds to the operating expenses of renting the golf carts. Also, when new golf carts are delivered to a dealer, they are delivered much in the same way that the rental industry transports golf carts. Therefore, movement of new golf carts to a dealer or golf course also requires the golf carts to be shipped with the tops removed. What is needed is a golf cart top which can be folded down in order to fit between the levels of the multi-level carrier.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable top for a golf cart to address storage and transport issues involving golf carts.
The present invention is a foldable top on a golf cart. The foldable top includes a top and a framework. The framework is attached to the golf cart and supports the top. The framework includes a front bottom frame, two front middle frames, two top frames, two rear middle frames, a rear bottom frame and a series of hinges. The hinges include two rotation members. Each of the rotation members includes a center hole, at least one positioning hole and a stud for attaching the rotation member to one of the frames. A center bolt is inserted into each of the center holes to rotatably connect the two rotation members of each hinge. Finally there is at least one positioning bolt inserted into at least one positioning hole of each of the rotation members to secure the two rotation members of each hinge in position.